The following description relates to an adjustment assembly, and more particularly, to an adjustment assembly actuated by a piezoelectric device.
Conventional adjustment assemblies, for example, adjustment assemblies which allow for adjustment of a steering column in a vehicle, include a lever that is rotatable between two positions to lock and unlock the adjustment assembly. For example, with a lever in a first position, the adjustment assembly may lock a steering column in a desired position, thereby fixing the steering column against adjustment. The lever may be rotated to a second position, thereby unlocking the adjustment assembly and allowing the steering column to be adjusted.
However, the rotational travel path of these levers may occupy a large area. Accordingly, surrounding components (e.g., interior vehicle panels) must be designed to provide sufficient clearance to accommodate the rotational travel path of the lever. In some cases the surrounding components need to be redesigned or modified to provide sufficient clearance. Further, the rotational travel path may inconvenience a user of the adjustment assembly, as the travel path may interfere with a space occupied by the user.
Smaller levers may be used. However, reducing the size of the lever also reduces the mechanical advantage provided by the lever. Thus, a smaller rotational lever may be more difficult to actuate since the smaller lever requires a larger force to actuate. Additionally, some known adjustment assemblies require heavy, expensive motors to lock the system and include many interworking components such as levers, cams, and followers.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an adjustment assembly with reduced components and simplified operation.